I am so, so sick of this guy.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/71927-nelson-neb-no-abortion-amendment-no-clotureSen. Nelson: No abortion amendment, no cloture on health bill
By Eric Zimmermann - 12/12/09 10:01 AM ET
In a Washington Post profile published this morning, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) lays down the gauntlet on healthcare reform:
Even if all other issues on the health bill are resolved, abortion remains the hardest for Nelson. Regardless of the wording, he demands one result: no federal abortion funds.
"If I don't get it, I can't support cloture {ending the filibuster} on the next round," he said.
Of course, the Senate has already voted down his amendment, which mirrored the House-approved Suptak amendment.
The question becomes: Will there be some other last minute movement on abortion funding that wins over Nelson's support, or do Democrats hope that their compromise on the public option will win over one or two Republicans?
That compromise, by the way, seems to be less than solid. (See here, here, and here.)